A new tactile technology developed at Disney Research, Pittsburgh (DRP), called Surround Haptics, makes it possible for video game players and film viewers to feel a wide variety of sensations, from the smoothness of a finger being drawn against skin to the jolt of a collision. The technology is based on rigorous psychophysical experiments and new models of tactile perception.

In a demonstration developed in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University and others, the technology enhances a high-intensity driving simulator game in collaboration with Disney's Black Rock Studio. With players seated in a chair outfitted with inexpensive vibrating actuators, Surround Haptics enables them to feel road imperfections and objects falling on the car, sense skidding, braking and acceleration, and experience ripples of sensation when cars collide or jump and land.

"Although we have only implemented Surround Haptics with a gaming chair to date, the technology can be easily embedded into clothing, gloves, sports equipment and mobile computing devices," said Ivan Poupyrev, senior research scientist at DRP, who invented and developed Surround Haptics with Ali Israr, also of DRP. "This technology has the capability of enhancing the perception of flying or falling, of shrinking or growing, of feeling bugs creeping on your skin. The possibilities are endless."

The DRP researchers have accomplished this feat by designing an algorithm for controlling an array of vibrating actuators in such a way as to create "virtual actuators" anywhere within the grid of actuators. A virtual actuator, Poupyrev said, can be created between any two physical actuators; the user has the illusion of feeling only the virtual actuator. As a result, users don't feel the general buzzing or pulsing typical of most haptic devices today, but can feel discrete, continuous motions such as a finger tracing a pattern on skin.

The phenomenon of phantom sensations created by actuators has been known for more than 50 years, but its use in tactile displays has been limited because of an incomplete understanding of control mechanisms. DRP researchers were able to develop their control algorithm by systematically measuring users' ability to feel physical actuators vs. virtual actuators under a variety of stimulation levels. They then developed control models that were validated by further psychophysical experiments. In addition to enhancing user experiences with interactive games, movies and music, Surround Haptics' underlying technology promises to provide new tactile means of communication for the blind, emergency workers, vehicle operators, athletes and others.

Years ago we had a computer game joystick with significant tactile feedback. While the effect was surprising and novel, it wasn't engaging enough to spawn a wide following nor to motivate us to upgrade the software on subsequent computers. Since then, the "wii" personal game controllers have tactile feedback which is very convincing. One challenge that Disney will likely face is that of cleaning and maintaining the haptic devices for public venues. Movies are remotely sensed so the sound and image displays don't need to be cleaned after use. Tactile devices will need a nice easy to clean interface - as well as a compelling user experience.

There are any number of applications like videogames for this technology, but the real elephant in the room is the adult video industry (tell the truth: Did any of you reading this article not think of porn?). That means that there is a legitimate business case for it, as well as cover provided by the other applications. Maybe it's just me being cynical (again), but that sounds like the recipe for a successful technology.
Larry M.